Matt Doeden - Dragons

Thanks to our adviser for her expertise, research, and advice: Elizabeth Tucker, PhD. Distinguished Service Professor English, General Literature and Rhetoric Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY

Editor: Shelly Lyons Designer: Hilary Wacholz Art Director: Kay Fraser Production Specialist: Kathy McColley

Picture Window Books are published by Capstone 1710 Roe Crest Drive, North Mankato, Minnesota 56003 www.capstonepub.com

Copyright 2020 by Picture Window Books, a Capstone imprint. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Doeden, Matt, author. Title: Dragons / by Matt Doeden. Description: North Mankato, MN : Picture Window Books, 2019. | Series: Mythical creatures | Audience: Age 5-7. | Audience: K to grade 3. Identifiers: LCCN 2019004854| ISBN 9781515844433 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781515844471 (ebook pdf) | ISBN 9781515860242 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: DragonsJuvenile literature. Classification: LCC GR830.D7 D643 2019 | DDC 398.24/54dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019004854

All internet sites appearing in back matter were available and accurate when this book was sent to press.

BY MATT DOEDEN

ILLUSTRATED BY MARTIN BUSTAMANTE

A shadow sweeps over a village. Children scream in fright. A huge dragon lowers its scaly head. The dragon dives and opens its jaws wide. A stream of white-hot fire bursts from its mouth. Below, a herd of sheep scramble. One is too slow. The dragon uses its long, sharp teeth to scoop up the animal.

Dragons are mysterious. People dont know a lot about their lives. Every dragon begins life in an egg. Female dragons lay their eggs in until theyre able to fend for themselves.

Young dragons must leave the nest to find their own lairs. Most dragon lairs are deep inside caves. Dragons collect treasure and keep their inside the lair.

Dragons are such as mice. As dragons grow, they hunt bigger prey. Adult dragons can eat a cow or buffalo in a single meal!

Adult dragons may sleep for weeks or even years at a time. They wake to hunt, collect treasure, and mate. The older a dragon is, the more it sleeps.

!

EGG

HATCHLING

YOUNG DRAGON

ADULT DRAGON

ANCIENT DRAGON

Dragons come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Dragons from Western legends tend to be large, but dragons from Eastern legends are often small. Most dragons, large or small, share a few common features. Dragons look like serpents or lizards. They are long and slender. Their bodies are covered with hard . The beasts tough scales protect them from all but the sharpest weapons.

large, lizard-like body hard scales sharp claws and teeth large, bat-like wings for flying long tail four legs breathes fire, ice, or lives in an underground lair

small, snake-like body hard scales sharp claws and teeth sometimes has horns no wings long tail four legs often lives in or near water

WESTERN DRAGON

EASTERN DRAGON

Most dragons have wings. They are large and leathery. They look like the wings of a bat.

ARMS A dragons arms are strong enough to flap large wings.

METACARPALS Like a human and a bat, a dragon has five metacarpals on each arm. These fingers make up the bones in each wing.

The biggest dragons need very strong wings. But even large, strong wings may not be enough to lift a dragons great weight. Dragons may rely on magic to fly.

WING MEMBRANE The wing membrane is a thick skin covered in scales on the outside. Its flexible and strong.

A dragon can be deadly. Its sharp teeth can rip apart any animalor enemy. Its claws sink deep into the flesh of its prey.

A dragon can also use its tail as a weapon. A powerful whip of the tail can crush a knights armor.

When a dragon opens its mouth, its time to run!

Many dragons can breathe fire. But fire isnt the only kind of dragon breath. Some dragons breathe blasts of ice. Others deadly poison.